Tornado Foosball Tables….Are they still the best in 2018?

What is the best foosball table? A lot of people claim that the Tornado is number one. They have been the big dog in the American market for some time.

Are they still?

The Tornado Foosball army has powerful weapons available to take all of the consumers in the world by storm. They have quite an arsenal and have been said to blow away any of the other tables that are on the market.

The Tornado brand features rugged construction and clean crisp lines that make them a welcome addition to any home or office. Many customers have recommended that before purchasing any foosball table on the market, at least look into one of the Tornado foosball tables.

They might be pricey but in the long run, they might be the best value too. Buying a Tornado foosball table lets any person who is playing to be able to play their best.

Tornado Elite

The Tornado Elite Foosball Table is considered to be one of the best professional foosball tables you can add to your home. This table is a beast…..225 pounds. Get it where it is going and it stays there. It is easy to maintain, as well as having a professional playing quality to it.

No dead spots, counterbalanced men….simply put….PROFESSIONAL ….but with the wood look that fits in with the home. There have been many customers who have been very satisfied with this table.

It has the patented Tornado men and bumpers to let you play like a pro. The men are precisely machined with corners that make me think of pistons in an engine. Tight edges! Excellent for ball control.

The rubber bumpers protect the table and the players from bottoming them out against the walls.

The Tornado bumpers and precision rods have that awesome sound that says foosball. The steel rods hiss through the bearing and the little ching thump when it bottoms out on the end.

The assembly process for the Elite foosball table is incredibly easy, until it comes to installing the men on the rods. More on that in a sec.

The cabinet comes preassembled. The legs just need to be attached with two bolts on each. The Elite has leg pad and down corner construction for added structural stability. This heavy duty construction is what gives the Elite it’s extra weight.

The rods are slipped through one bearing and then the bumpers and men are installed before the second bearing is put on the end.

The players fit very tight on the rods. Because they are made to such tight specifications it will take time and a little silicon to get them properly installed. They may need to be coaxed on with some hammering.

They are then fastened on the rods with punch pins driven through the man and the predrilled holes on the rods. They include the punch tool to drive them in. They can be changed out in the same fashion if necessary.

Like all the heavy duty Tornado tables the men are counterbalanced. They can be put in the upright spot to practice or just get out of the way if you are playing singles.

The handles are heavy, thick hard maple wood in a contrasting color to accent the rich cherry color of the cabinet. It has their heavier duty rods.

The Elite also has the Tornado patented split bearings. They can be taken apart if necessary with the included wrench. This allows for simple cleaning when necessary and regular lubrication to keep play smooth and preserve the speedy quality of play expected from the Tornado. Just loosen the nut on the end and give it a drop or two of silicon and you’re good to go.

The playing field is the Tornado standard 3/4 inch thick with precision two color Big T graphics. One of the thickest in the market. This results in true, fast play.

It has two center side ball returns for a quick return to play after scoring.

Made in Richland Hills, Texas (you’ll feel like you have been there by the end of this article).

The Elite comes with the 3 man American Goalie set up.

It is one of the highest recommended foosball tables on the market.

It gets a very good rating at Amazon. The only slightly negative rating is because driving the players on the rods were so difficult for one customer! And then that particular customer had difficulty reaching the customer service department for advice.

The other reviewers raved about how heavy duty and indestructible the construction was and how smooth it played.

It comes with three balls and silicone in the assembly kit.

However, it is expensive, but the individuals who have purchased it went on and on about how the price, even though steep, is definitely worth the purchase. They have said that they were not able to find another that can compare to the Elite Tornado Foosball Table. Exactly what is needed for a foosball table to last indefinitely in the home.

Heavy, awesome construction that can take any abuse you can dish out.

The Tornado Elite is still a great high-end heavy-duty foosball table.

Tornado T3000

The Tornado T3000 Foosball Table is the definition in the industry of foosball tables for exceptional durability, quality, and strength. This table has a more industrial look than most other tables, the gray finish just exudes PRO. This is the standard for Tornado tournaments in the US.

You know with one look this is serious stuff. This heavy duty laminate cabinet even looks like industrial grade steel. It is built for very competitive play and comes designed with so many unique and beneficial features. It is the official table of the Tornado National Tour, and it is the table for most of the foosball competitions in the US.

The counterweighted players are manufactured with exceptionally sharp corners of a non-slip material for enhanced ball control and precision. They are even sharper than the regular patented Tornado men!

Weighing in at 355 pounds it is incredibly stable. You will need several folks to help you if you want to move this bad boy around.

The T3000 has a smoother play than almost all other foosball tables. Why?

It comes back again to some of the standard Tornado features with the excellent split bushings, 3/4″ inch thick playing field and awesome construction of this 350 pound behemoth. This table just is Professional all the way!

The levelers on the legs don’t disappoint either. Big and easy to adjust.

Big heavy duty chrome plated rods and precision manufactured players.

It’s a pro table and plays like it. Smooth and sharp.

It has a split commercial grade cabinet for easy access. This table is made to be a coin operated unit but you can set it so you don’t have to. But…all the ramps that allow the balls to fall for the game start of the coin op are still there under the play field. Unlock and you can check it out…..sort of like opening the hood of a big Dodge to look at the Hemi….OOOOO!

Again the 3 man goalie set up comes standard, although this table can be ordered with the single goalie. Made in Richland Hills. Texas.

One cool thing with the T3000 is that you can get it in the classic silver. Or you can get it in Red or Black.

For a little extra coin you can also get it with the single man goalie too.One of the easiest tables to assemble.

The T3000 is simple to assemble, but it is heavy. You will need help. It comes in two separate boxes. The cabinet, field, rods, players, and the bottom of the cabinet with all of the gizmos required to make it a coin operated table are already assembled.

Get the boxes where you want it first!! Take out the bottom, put the legs on and stand it up. You need to check that the ball returns work, put the balls in the tracks and put a couple little pieces in for the coin collectors. Unlock the locks. Make sure you have the keys!! Bam done.

Open the second box with playing top. Inspect the hinges. It will only slide in one way. Open the top up using the 3 and 5 player handles with the rods all the way in and use the prop rod. Couple tiny little adjustments, nuts on the hinges and put the score keepers on top. Done. Play. Damn straight!

Most of the ratings on Amazon are top notch. The couple that are lower are due to below par customer service fixing their issues. Everyone that reviewed it, loved the table.

The T3000 foosball table is quite possibly the best foosball table on the market. One of the easiest to assemble, and it is great for long nights of fun with family and friends.

Again a can’t miss. Pricey …..but this is the premier competition table in the States. It is also one of the official tables for all events of the ITSF (the International Table Soccer Federation).

Tornado Classic

Then you have the Classic. It has a more contemporary look combined with heavy duty construction. The laminate is made of dark black leather and is able to match with any type of environment.

It has a darker deeper look that might go well with certain themes. I think this dark leather material would offset a cabin wood wall effect very well.

Cabinet thickness is 1 and ½ inches and the playfield is ¾ inch thick.

It has many very high-performance parts from the Tornado’s selections, and it also provides professional play quality as well. It has their heavier two-piece bearings for long lasting quality play.

The men are sharp and counterbalanced for excellent ball control. The rods are just a little lighter than the Elite. Still great for home use though. They will take just a little less abuse before replacement.

The Classic has the heavy duty down corner construction like the Elite. But not the split cabinet design of the T3000. It also only one ball return on the side.

This table like the Elite has individual screw in and out leg levelers.

Has the classic real maple wood handles too.

The Classic has the three color logo on the field as well.

The bearings are just a little lighter. Rather than tightening the jam nut on from the outside of the cabinet, they pop into the sides and stay there. Still highly functional but not as “pro.”

The Classic assembles just like the Elite. They actually have the same assembly manual.

Basically attaching the legs to the cabinet and then putting the rods, bearings, and bumpers on. A pretty darn simple process even though again the men may have to be “worked on to the rods.” Great that they provide 3 balls to get started and I think I forgot to mention earlier that they even include a small bottle (2oz.) of silicone for you.

Again built in the Tornado plant in Richland Hills, Texas.

The Tornado Classic Foosball Table has received so many amazing reviews and customers satisfaction comments. There are so many who have said that it is an affordable price for so much fun for your family to enjoy. That they absolutely “love” this foosball table and that it is an amazing table for anyone to purchase. There have been many customers who have even said that the table is far better than they would ever have hoped for or expected. It did get two negative reviews also one about shipping and one that chrome was flaking. Tornado did replace the rods.

So overall, the Tornado Classic is about the same weight as the Elite, coming in at 225 pounds but again a heavy duty table that should last your family almost forever. Just a bit less Pro than the Elite. It has just a couple features that are a little lighter. Lighter duty rods and single ball return.

An excellent heavy table that might be just a tab below Professional but nevertheless another quality foosball table from Tornado.

Tornado Sport

The Tornado Sport Foosball Table replaced the Whirlwind in the Tornado lineup several years ago. It is a nice solid heavy table but not quite as beefy as the others in this list. This table is a little lighter that the others in the Tornado arsenal.

The cabinet is 1 inch thick with a Mahogany Melamine finish. Very deep almost red color. It features rugged, brushed steel rods, 3 goalie setup, 1-inch thick wooden cabinet. The classic look and feel of the table tell you it’s all Tornado, though.

It has end ball returns rather than side returns for the others on this list. The leg levelers are adjustable boots rather than screw out adjusters.

The leg levelers are adjustable boots rather than screw out adjusters. There are shims that are placed inside to set the level and height. It comes with 10 of them so the height can be varied quite a bit.

This table can be put lower than the others to start out young players.

The rods and bearings are the same as the Classic. Just a bit lighter than the Elite.

The players are sharp and dynamic for great play quality…..all Tornado here. They say they are not counterbalanced but the one I tried out they stayed up? Maybe even the players that aren’t weighted are that much better than other tables?

It also has plastic handles rather than the wood ones on the other Tornados. Still the same size just a bit lighter.

It still has the 3/4″ awesome playfield for excellent, fast play. This one only has the one color logo in the center of the field.

It doesn’t have the beefiness in the frame that others have that saves a little weight.

The Tornado Sport also comes with balls and silicone too though!

The assembly process is pretty good too.

Four bolts directly to the cabinet to start. The cabinet is already set to go. Put the rods in with the bearings bumpers and men. Attach the score rods. Ready to play. Nice process! Here is the link to the Sport assembly pdf.

This table sets the standard for excellent home entertainment foosball. Below this you are never quite sure what you are getting. This is the table other companies try to match. They try but I don’t know that they succeed. Sort of like this DMI American Legend. The Tornado Sports is a heavy, quality foosball table but not quite like their others. A few lighter parts allow the weight to come down to 205 pounds. And again made in Richland Hills, Texas (check out their promo here).

The Tornado Sport has a ton of great reviews. It actually has an excellent rating which is higher than some of the others here!! It still is still a fair chunk of change to lay on a table but should be worth it. Less weight and durability than the others on this list but still excellent.

The Conclusion

When you are in the market for a foosball table and want the best selection, the most stable and durable table, then you can never go wrong with one of the Tornado collection. These tables have been specifically designed and built in a unique way that sets them apart from the ordinary foosball tables on the market.

They all come with a one year warranty. All the Tornado tables have full-length rods so be sure to keep small spectators back a bit.

Heavy and dependable. They are the choice of most professional players in the industry. The price tag is high, however. But so many customers have been beyond satisfied with the Tornado foosball tables, that they highly recommend purchasing.

[…] little bit older or if their older cousins or uncles play it too much, though. This is certainly no tournament foosball table but it might not be a bad table to dip your toes in the water to see if some foosball action is […]

[…] of a similar design and shape and the field and cabinet are made to look like The Big T tables. This table is no Tornado, though. In order to get their price point down the materials are cheaper and of a lower grade. The […]

Since I’m a big fan of Tornado tables. I just wanna add that to those who still have doubts or complain about the high price of Tornado tables, remember that you get what you pay for.

When it comes to Tornado, you’re not buying a foosball table that will last three years or five. You’re buying it for life. These tables are really sturdy and can last over 10 years of continuious usage.

If you’re looking for a table that will put your mind at ease and forget about it, then Tornado tables are your best shot.

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